UAVs and Drones Races: FPV Racing

The drones keep surprising us. In the health field, first of all, some can carry defibrillators. Regarding culture, they integrate dance companies and compose ballets.
Nowadays, it is a sport that these small flying machines make their mark, more precisely in racing.

But what does FPV Racing consist of, this new discipline that fascinates its spectators?

Contrary to what one might think, during a drone race, the pilots don’t see the object they are directing, they embody it. It is, therefore, an FPV Racing race:”First Person View” literally means “seen in the first person.” This term is reminiscent of another from the video game world: the “First Person Shooter,” shooting games in which you can see through the eyes of the character you play.

Each of the pilots, therefore, has a pair of special VR glasses, which transmits in real time what the machine sees. The pilot becomes a drone and can steer the aircraft as if he were on board.

Drones specially designed for racing.

This immersion is only possible with drones specially designed for racing: made of extremely light composite materials such as carbon, they are equipped with super-powerful engines that can propel the drone up to 190 mph, a battery capable of releasing strong and fast discharges and a flight controller that allows the aircraft to spin.

To give the impression of being “in” the camera, a camera is installed at the front of the quadcopter. It transmits a video stream to the pilot directly in its glasses equipped with two screens – one for each eye, like a virtual reality helmet. In addition to the runway, the pilot can also view information such as the remaining battery or flight time completed. To share their aerial races with their communities, some of them even install an additional camera on their drone, which captures high definition images as they race.

But the FPV Racing is not limited to speed races like ski slalom. Other freestyle enthusiasts are also dedicated to freestyle. More aesthetic, this activity consists of creating increasingly impressive figures in the air. And there are many playgrounds: forests, car parks, and airfields are some of the favorite places.

Emerging sport in search of recognition

While the practice is now tending to become more democratic on a global scale, there are still some legislative problems. Since it is forbidden to fly drones in urban areas, it is in the countryside that they must take place, day and night, according to the site. Other obligations: zones must be delineated so as not to take the risk of UAVs coming into contact with humans. They must also not fly at more than 150 m above sea level in order not to disrupt air traffic.